Snapshots
by SeaWraith46
Summary: Just some mini-fics I previously only had posted on tumblr. Each chapter is a different mini-fic with no continuity between them.
1. Sleepy Whispers

This mini-fic is based on an audio clip of Max talking in her sleep that was cut from the game.

* * *

Chloe yawned, watching as the first rays of sunlight began to stream through her window and color the ceiling of her bedroom. She'd woken up about an hour ago and was still unable to get to sleep. She knew exactly why, but was trying her hardest not to think about it.

She wasn't used to having someone share her bed with her, not anymore. Not since six months ago. It was nice to have someone next to her again, to hear someone else's breathing while she drifted off to sleep, even if it had kept her awake at first. Even though she kept half expecting to look over and see Rachel sleeping on the other side of her bed rather than Max.

Chloe sighed and ran a hand down her face. "Stop it, Chloe," she muttered under her breath. "This isn't helping. Just be glad Max is here now."

Max mumbled something inaudible and Chloe froze. "Uh, Max? You awake?

Several seconds of silence followed and Chloe relaxed, a small smile growing on her face. "So you sleep talk now, huh? Wonder what you have to say…"

She waited quietly for a few minutes, eventually growing impatient and shifting closer to Max so she could whisper in her ear. "Hey, Max. Whatcha think' about?"

"Mph…marriage..." Max whispered. "Gonna get married soon…"

Chloe had to bite down hard on her lower lip to stop herself from laughing. "Oh my god, Max, you don't even sleep talk, you sleep whisper. Now, what was this about marriage?"

"Gotta tell Warren…'bout the wedding…"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Fucking Warren? Really, Max?"

"And I should getta ring…a ring for…Chloe…"

"Wait, what?"

Chloe held her breath, releasing it and pouting a moment later when Max remained silent. "Max. What were you saying about Chloe?" she asked, resisting the urge to reach out and shake Max's shoulder.

Max shifted slightly but didn't say anything else and Chloe flopped onto her back with a disappointed grunt. "Come on, Max, it was just getting good."

She let her eyes drift across the slow-moving patterns of sunlight painting the ceiling, surprised at the happy nervousness churning in her stomach. "It was just getting good."


	2. Helping

Based on this prompt: Maybe Max and Chloe watching sappy movies together. Chloe thought she'd be all tough and laugh through it but she's the one crying and Max is comforting her.

* * *

The credits had been playing for about twenty seconds when Max heard the first sniffle. "Holy shit, Chloe, are you crying?"

"No," Chloe said quickly, swiping roughly at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just got something in my eye."

An uncomfortable silence followed, during which Max stared determinedly at the ceiling as Chloe tried to discreetly wipe her nose on her sleeve. After about ten seconds Max's eyes flicked to Chloe and then to the box of tissues sitting on the coffee table in front of them. She reached forward and grabbed a handful of them, balling one up and tossing it at Chloe.

"Hey! What the hell?" Chloe asked as the balled up tissue bounced off her cheek. "What are you doing?" she demanded as Max lobbed another tissue at her.

"Helping," Max said, throwing her last two tissues in quick succession. She bent down and dug her phone out of her bag at her feet, thumbing through her text messages as she watched Chloe out of the corner of her eye.

For a second Chloe looked like she was about to punch her. A few seconds later she rolled her eyes and gathered up the tissues lying on the couch cushion between them, using them to blow her nose as quietly as possible.

"Here, nerd, you can have your tissues back," Chloe said, launching her wad of used tissues at Max's head. Luckily Max managed to duck in time and it sailed harmlessly over her head.

"Gross! At least I only threw clean ones," Max said indignantly, laughing as Chloe stuck her tongue out at her.

Still keeping her eyes fixed on her phone, Max reached over and hooked her right arm around Chloe's shoulders, pulling Chloe gently toward her. She settled back against the couch with Chloe's head resting on her shoulder, propping her left elbow on her hip so she could still look at her phone.

"Is this you helping again?" Chloe asked, tilting her head back to look at Max's face.

"Mhm," Max hummed as she struggled to tap out a text with only one hand.

A moment later Max felt Chloe relax against her, a small smile playing across her features as Chloe snaked her arm around her waist.


	3. No Rewinds for a Kiss

Prompt: Chloe is waiting for Max at Blackwell when she sees her getting harassed by Victoria and steps in to protect her.

* * *

Chloe tilted her head back against the tree, watching its leaves rustle in the wind. "Max, hurry up, I'm hungry," she mumbled to herself.

The door to Blackwell's main building swung open and she looked toward it eagerly, letting out an exasperated sigh when she saw only random students she didn't recognize exiting the building. She slid down the tree trunk until her bottom hit the ground, propping her forearms on her knees and lacing her fingers together.

"Max, you can rewind time, how are you late," Chloe whined as she watched more students who were not Max walking out the doors.

After several more disappointments, Chloe didn't even bother looking up when she heard the doors open, concentrating instead on shredding a dead leaf she had found on nearby.

"Really, Victoria?" Chloe heard Max say from somewhere behind her.

Chloe dropped the shredded remains of her leaf, pushed herself up onto her knees, and peered around the tree she had been leaning against. Max stood about five feet away with her back to Chloe, talking to a very pissed off looking girl Chloe was pretty sure was named Victoria.

"Oh, come on, Max, I know what you're doing. Pretending to be naïve and shy just to get Mr. Jefferson's attention. I hope you know he's smarter than that. There's no way he'll fall for it," Victoria said, one hand balanced on her hip while the other gestured dismissively at Max.

Max snorted at crossed her arms. "Yes, and you would know this because your ass-kissing is working so much better."

"You are such a—" Victoria began, but Chloe had stopped listening, rising quickly and walking over to Max. Taking a second to enjoy the look of confusion on Victoria's face as she approached, Chloe grabbed Max, spun her around and dipped her back slightly before planting a solid kiss on her lips. Max went rigid with surprise and Chloe almost broke the kiss to laugh at her shocked expression.

"Ugh, get a room you two," Victoria scoffed, rolling her eyes as she turned and walked away.

Chloe watched Victoria leave, holding the kiss for a few seconds longer before pulling away and setting Max upright again.

"Come on, let's go," Chloe said, giving Max's arm a squeeze. "We've got a date with some Two Whales burgers and I'm starving."

She began to walk toward the parking lot, slowing slightly until a still-stunned Max finally moved to catch up with her.

"What...what was that?" Max asked breathlessly.

Chloe shrugged and pulled her keys from her jacket pocket. "I'm hungry and you were taking too long. It seemed like a good way to get rid of Victoria."

Max remained silent as they got in Chloe's truck, staring straight ahead with unfocused eyes as Chloe turned the key in the ignition.

Chloe reached for the gear shift, her hand pausing as she glanced at Max's far-off expression. "Okay, what's that look for?"

"I-I, um," Max stammered, a slight blush blooming on her cheeks. "I'm trying to decide if I want to rewind so you can kiss me again."

Chloe grinned. "You don't need to rewind to get more kisses from me, Super Max," she said with a wink, laughing as Max's blush deepened.

"Oh," Max said, rubbing at the back of her neck. "Well then, um, I think I'd like you to kiss me again."

"Can we get food first?" Chloe asked.

Max stared at her in disbelief for a second before bursting out laughing.

"What? I told you, I'm hungry," Chloe said, chuckling as Max struggled to contain her laughter.

"Yes, we can get food first," Max said, shaking her head.

Chloe shifted her truck into reverse and backed out of her parking spot. "First food, then kisses. Sounds hella good."

"It better," Max said. "Because you definitely need to keep kissing me like that."


	4. A Kiss to Make it Better

Chloe dares Max to let her push her high enough on the swing in her backyard to go over the top bar. Max chickens out but ends up getting kisses.

TW: ableist language

* * *

"I'm not sure about this, Chloe," Max said, rubbing her upper arm as she looked at the swing set.

"Come on, Max, you can't back down from a dare," Chloe said as she walked over and stood behind the swing.

"Can't you just dare me to kiss you again?"

"That's kind of a lame dare if we're already dating, dork."

Max laughed and crossed her arms. "If my kisses are so lame, I don't have to give you any more of them you know."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I don't want kisses right now, right now I want your butt on the swing." She reached down to pat the seat of the swing. "Right here. This is where your butt should be."

"Fine," Max finally relented, stepping up to the swing and sitting down. "But you better catch me if I fall off."

"No promises."

"Well, then what good are you?"

Chloe laughed, bending down to plant a kiss on top of Max's head before giving her a push.

A few more good shoves from Chloe and Max was already coming up parallel to the top of the swing set at the height of her swing.

"Shit, that's high," Max said, clinging desperately to the swing's ropes.

"Almost there, don't chicken out now, Max!" Chloe yelled.

After one more push, Max decided she'd had enough, slipping out of the seat at the top of her next swing. She landed hard, falling to her knees and skidding a few inches across the grass. Wincing, she sat down, pulling her knees up to survey the damage.

"Aw, Max, what the hell?" Chloe asked, walking over to kneel in front of Max. "Oh, shit, you okay?"

Max brushed the grass from her knees, revealing the grass-stained holes in her jeans, as well as several superficial scrapes. "I think I'll live. Although," she said, looking up at Chloe with a grin. "A kiss might make it better."

Chloe leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on Max's lips. "Better?" she asked as she pulled away.

"I don't know, I might need another one just to make sure."

Chloe laughed and lunged forward, tackling Max to the ground. She propped her arms up above Max's head and gave her another kiss that was far less chaste than her last.

Max was so absorbed in the feeling of Chloe's lips moving against hers that she almost didn't hear the screen door of the house opening.

"If you two are about done…" Joyce said, the amusement in her voice clear. "Dinner is ready."

Max turned her head to look at Joyce, heat rising in her cheeks. "Um, okay, we'll be in soon."

"No, we won't," Chloe said, planting a row of kisses along Max's jaw. She stopped at Max's ear, her breath making Max shiver. "I'm not done yet."

Joyce chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Just don't put on too much of a show for the neighbors," she said as she closed the screen door.

"We shouldn't wait too long," Max said as Chloe kissed down her jaw. "I don't really feel like eating cold food."

"That's what microwaves are for," Chloe said, grinning down at Max for a second before leaning back in.

Max laughed, smiling into Chloe's next kiss.


	5. After We Kissed

Prompt: Things you said after you kissed me.

* * *

"Come on," Chloe said, pulling Max gently up the path by the hand. "I don't wanna miss it!"

"The golden hour is called an _hour_ for a reason, Chloe. We have plenty of time," Max said, but couldn't help but smile at Chloe's enthusiasm.

Chloe rolled her eyes and tugged a little harder on Max's hand. "Fine, but you're still being slow."

"I have shorter legs than you!" Max said indignantly.

Chloe let out a frustrated snort before releasing Max's hand and stepping in front of her with her knees slightly bent, her arms out at her sides. "Climb on."

"What?"

"You heard me, Caulfield, climb on. You're taking too long so I'm gonna carry you."

Shaking her head, Max hopped onto Chloe's back, gripping her shoulders tightly as Chloe all but ran the rest of the way up the hill. When they reached the top, Chloe walked over to the bench in front of the lighthouse and let go of Max's legs. "Okay, no more freeloading from you, time to get off."

"I don't know, it's kinda nice up here," Max said, wrapping her legs around Chloe's waist to stop herself from falling. "And I could get used to being carried everywhere."

"Well, I'm glad I'm good for something," Chloe said as she turned her head to look back at Max. "But you do realize I can't kiss you when you're back there, right?"

"Damn, you're right. Never mind, it's terrible up here."

Chloe laughed and Max placed a kiss on her cheek before sliding off her back. She took Chloe's hand and led her over to the bench where they both sat down, their hands resting on the wood between them. Chloe wove her fingers through Max's and they both smiled at each other before turning to look at the sunset.

It was silent for a few minutes as they watched the sun sink closer to the horizon. Eventually, Max's eyes began to wander, trying to set up the perfect angle to take a picture of the lighthouse. She looked back to the sunset, debating whether or not to take out her camera, when she noticed Chloe watching her with a small smile on her face. "What?"

"Nothing," Chloe said. "The face you make when you're thinking about taking a picture is just hella cute."

Max returned Chloe's smile for a second before leaning over and kissing her. Max's free hand found its way into Chloe's hair and she tried to deepen the kiss but Chloe pulled away with a confused look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Max asked, her hand dropping down to rest on Chloe's leg.

"No, not really, you just…" Chloe paused, a thoughtful look on her face. "Cheese! That's what it is. You taste like cheese."

"Oh," Max said, removing her hand from Chloe's leg and turning to face the sunset again. "Uh, sorry?"

"It's not a bad thing, it's just…unexpected."

"I did eat a bunch of Cheetos right before you picked me up," Max admitted.

"Damn, Max, how many Cheetos did you eat?" Chloe asked, looking mildly alarmed. "The taste is really strong."

"A lot," Max said, heat rising in her cheeks. "I hadn't eaten dinner yet and there weren't very many options in dorm room, so…maybe, like, half a bag?"

Chloe laughed. "Holy shit, I don't even eat that many when I have the munchies." She stood, stepping in front of Max and grabbing her other hand to pull her up off the bench. "We should probably get you some real dinner, though."

"Only if you carry me," Max said, grinning as Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but only to my truck. I am not hauling your ass all the way back to my house."

"Aw, you're no fun," Max whined as she climbed onto Chloe's back.

"How about next time you carry me, then you can see how fun it is."

Max laughed, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder as she set off down the hill. "No thanks, I think I'll leave that job for you."


	6. If There Was No You

Prompt: Things you said that I wasn't meant to hear.

* * *

Max woke to a soft, unfamiliar humming noise. Still bleary-eyed from sleep, she raised her head slightly to look around her dorm room. Eventually, her sleepy, confused brain was able to determine that the humming noise was coming from Chloe, who was sitting at her desk. She was doing something on Max's computer, humming a song Max didn't recognize.

She was about to sit up and ask Chloe what song it was when Chloe began singing. Max froze, her eyes going wide with surprise. She laid her head back down as quietly as possible but made sure to do so at an angle that allowed her to still watch Chloe.

" _Nothing you could do could make me turn my back on you_ ," Chloe sang softly, still absorbed in whatever it was she was doing on Max's computer. " _When you're looking for a fight, I'm your man. When you need a friend, you got my hand_."

Max saw Chloe's head begin to turn toward her and she quickly shut her eyes so Chloe wouldn't see she was awake. She was pretty sure that Chloe was looking at her as she sang the next verse, though, which made it very difficult for her not to smile.

" _And what I really mean, what I'm trying hard to say is that I'm counting on you and you got me too_ ," Chloe continued as Max's nose began to itch. She did her best to ignore it but the feeling was only growing worse. " _Our secrets aren't safe, I'm singing out of tune, if there was no you_."

Max's nose finally stopped itching and she bit back a sigh of relief at the exact moment she let out a massive sneeze.

"Holy shit, Max, you scared the crap out of me," Chloe said.

"Sorry," Max said, sitting up and trying not to pout about the fact that Chloe had stopped singing.

"Uh, were you awake before that or did your sneeze wake you up?" Chloe asked, watching Max carefully.

"The sneeze woke me up," Max said with her best attempt at a straight face.

"You're a shit liar," Chloe said, turning quickly back to the computer, but not before Max saw the blush rising on her cheeks.

"Chloe…" she said gently, getting up from the bed and walking over to Chloe. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around Chloe, resting her chin on her left shoulder. "You were really good. I didn't even know you could sing."

"Not many people do," Chloe mumbled. "Shit, I'm not sure if even my mom knows."

"Well, you don't have to sing if you don't want to, but I definitely wouldn't mind if you did. It was really pretty," Max said.

Chloe smiled and tilted her head to rest against Max's. "Thanks, Max."

Max was just about to turn her head to give Chloe's cheek a kiss when she caught sight of her computer screen. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing," Chloe said, quickly closing the window she had open before Max could get a good look at it. Exiting out of the window, however, revealed Max's new desktop background, which was now a smiling old man holding an onion that was about twice the size of his head.

"Chloe, what the fuck?" Max asked as she stood up and put her hands on her hips.

"Your old background was boring, so I fixed it," Chloe said.

"And what was the other window you had open?"

"I didn't have anything else open."

"Chloe…"

"Aw, fine, I suppose you would have found it eventually."

Chloe clicked on the file browser on Max's computer, bringing up a window that listed all the files on her computer.

Max stepped next to Chloe and bent down to read the file names. "Max's porn collection….hipster nonsense…every picture of Mitt Romney in existence…even more porn but this time gayer…Jack Kerouac's butt pics…more hipster nonsense…Chloe!"

Chloe laughed, raising her arms to fend of the punches Max aimed at her shoulder. "It's not my fault your folder names were boring, too!"

Max rolled her eyes and walked over to sit on her bed. "We were having such a nice moment, too and you just completely ruined it, you loser."

"Nah, the moment was mushy and boring," Chloe said, rising from the desk chair and moving to sit next to Max. "I improved it."

"There seem to be a lot of boring things in my life that need fixing today. Good thing I have you around."

"Damn right," Chloe said, pulling Max into an embrace and nuzzling into her shoulder. "What would you do without me?"

"Be really fucking boring, I guess," Max said.

Chloe chuckled and tilted her head to plant a kiss on Max's neck. "You'd also still be a virgin."

"There you go, ruining the moment again," Max said, pushing Chloe away from her and back onto the bed.

"It's what I'm here for," Chloe said with a grin.

"Well," Max said, crawling over to Chloe and straddling her hips. She leaned down and kissed Chloe deeply, pulling away to whisper, "I hope you're good for at least one other thing."

"I think I can manage," Chloe said, smiling into Max's next kiss and pulling her close.

* * *

The song Chloe sings is "If There Was No You" by Brandi Carlile.


	7. I Can't Tell You

Prompt: Things you said that I wish you hadn't.

* * *

Max and Chloe had been lying side by side on Chloe's bed all afternoon, occasionally drifting in and out of sleep. Sometimes they were both asleep, while at other times one would watch the other with a smile as she slept. When awake at the same time, they shared small kisses, gentle caresses, and soft words.

Chloe leaned forward and placed a series of kisses down Max's face, starting at her forehead and ending with her lips. She lingered on Max's lips for a moment before pulling away with a contented sigh that made Max grin.

"My kisses are that good, huh?" Max said as she lifted her hand to play with Chloe's hair.

"They're getting there," Chloe said, smirking when Max flicked her ear. "You know, if you're so concerned about the quality of your kisses, you could just rewind while we make out. Infinite practice time."

Max laughed. "Yeah, and then it'd get super sexy when my nose starts bleeding and I get a wicked headache."

"Good thing we have plenty of time to practice in the present, then," Chloe said as she moved to give Max another kiss.

They lay in silence after that, their foreheads resting against each other as Max continued to stroke Chloe's hair. Eventually, Chloe put her hand on Max's waist and began to trace small circles on Max's hip.

Max felt herself slipping back into sleep, lulled by Chloe's gentle movements. She slid her hand from Chloe's hair to rest on her cheek for a second before setting it on the mattress between them.

"Max?" Chloe asked just as Max was about to drift off.

"Hmm?"

"I love you," Chloe said slowly. "And I'm so proud of you for following your dreams."

Max's eyes shot open as she felt all the color drain from her face, her entire body tensing.

"Holy shit," Chloe said, pulling back slightly to get a better look at Max. "Max, are you okay?"

Max shook her head and buried her face in Chloe's chest, wrapping her arms around Chloe and hugging her fiercely.

"I'm sorry," Chloe said as she gently returned Max's embrace. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not your fault," Max mumbled, closing her hands around fistfuls of Chloe's shirt as she held her even tighter.

"Why did that upset you so much?" Chloe asked hesitantly. "I've said 'I love you' before and never gotten this reaction."

"I…I can't tell you," Max said, feeling tears build up in the corners of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to keep her voice even. "I'm sorry, but I just can't."

"Okay," Chloe said after a few seconds of silence. "I trust you, Max."

Max felt several tears slip from underneath her closed eyelids at Chloe's words. "I love you, Chloe. I love you so much."

"Is it okay if I say 'I love you' back?" Chloe asked, pressing a kiss on the top of Max's head.

Max nodded. "Yes, it's okay. It was just the…combination of those two phrases."

"Good to know," Chloe murmured against Max's hair. "You make no sense sometimes, Max, but I love you."

"I know," Max said, finally relaxing into Chloe's embrace. "And thank you."

"Anytime, nerd."


	8. Why Aren't You Here

Prompt: I just really need you here right now.

* * *

Chloe trudged up the stairs, ignoring the greeting Joyce called to her from the kitchen. She got to her room and slammed the door behind her, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. She stared at nothing for a few seconds, her eyes unfocused, before her jaw clenched and she kicked at the door with her heel several times.

"Fuck this," Chloe grumbled as she pushed away from the door and flopped onto her bed. She yanked her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her most recent texts one more time even though she knew it would only make her angrier.

"Fuck all those stupid hipster assholes, fuck Blackwell, fuck the Vortex Club," she said, raising her hand to follow her urge to hurl the phone at the wall. It took a rather alarming amount of self-control for her to open her hand and let the phone fall onto her pillow instead.

"And fuck Rachel," Chloe said vehemently. "Fuck Rachel," she said again, though much more softly this time as guilt rose up in her gut. She sat up and crossed her legs, propping her elbows on her knees and letting her face fall into her hands. "Shit."

Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes and she swiped at them angrily with the back of her hand. "Are you gonna fucking cry about this now, like a fucking baby? Your friend leaves you for one fucking night to be at a party you don't want to go to and you fucking lose it like a fucking child."

She brought her fist down on her pillow hard enough to make her phone jump into the air and land face down on the floor with a noise she was sure meant the screen had just cracked. A sound halfway between a yell and a sob wrenched from her throat and she kicked at the wall with one foot before collapsing backwards.

Chloe lay on her back for several minutes, her chest heaving as she struggled to hold back her tears. Eventually she rolled onto her stomach and wormed her way to the end of the mattress. Reaching underneath the bed, she pulled out a square metal box and flipped open the lid. She stared at the picture sitting on top of the pile of stuff in the box for several long seconds before gently picking it up.

It was a photo of her and Max from several years ago, dressed in their pirate gear and ready for a day of treasure hunting. Chloe bit down hard on her lower lip as another sob worked its way up her throat. "I just really need to have you here right now, Max," she managed to choke out.

Suddenly, her hands balled into fists around the edges of the picture. "Why aren't you here, Max?" she screamed, ripping the picture in half and flinging the pieces across the room. "Fuck you, Max. Why aren't you here?"

Chloe pushed herself to the middle of her bed and curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around herself as tightly as possible. "Why aren't you here?" she whispered, closing her eyes as she finally allowed her tears to fall freely down her cheeks. "Why'd you leave me, Max?"


	9. Journals

Prompt: Where did you even find that?

* * *

Max rolled over with a groan, burying her face in her pillow as her alarm continued to beep at her. She reached out a hand and flailed at her nightstand for a few seconds before finally finding her phone and silencing it.

"Don't fall back asleep, nerd. I've got something to show you," Max heard Chloe's voice from the doorway of her room.

Max smiled into her pillow but made no move to get up. "I don't wanna."

"Fine, I'll just read it to you, then."

Max's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, still hidden by her pillow as she felt the end of the bed dip slightly from Chloe sitting down.

"Okay," Chloe said, clearing her throat. "'September 21, 2001. I'm still sad that Chloe isn't in my class but sometimes I see her at lunch. Today it was mac and cheese for lunch and Chloe gave me some of hers because she knows how much I like it.'"

Max's head shot up and whipped around to look at Chloe. "What the fuck?"

"Aw, that was so nice of me," Chloe said with a look of exaggerated tenderness as she placed her hand over her heart. "I forgot I used to do that."

"What are you reading?" Max asked, sitting up and scooching across the bed to sit next to Chloe.

Chloe grinned and held up a tattered notebook. "I think it's one of your journals from, like, first grade."

"Where did you even find that?"

"I got bored while you were sleeping in so your mom and I started poking around in the boxes of old stuff in the basement."

Max nodded, lifting her hand and turning to the next page. "'September 22, 2001. Today we had to draw pictures of our favorite animals. I drew lots of deer and a pig. I'm not very good and drawing and wanted to take pictures but we couldn't go to the zoo to do that.'"

"So you were always an aspiring photographer," Chloe said, hooking her arm around Max's shoulders and pulling her close to give her a kiss on the cheek. "That's adorable."

Max smiled and began to turn to the next page but immediately slammed the notebook shut when she saw what was on it. She tried to take the journal out of Chloe's hands but Chloe pulled away and held it out of reach.

"Hey, I'm not done reading that," Chloe protested as Max continued to try for the notebook.

"Yes, you are. Please give it to me, I don't want you to read any more of it."

"Well, now I have to, if there's something you don't want me to see," Chloe said, standing and taking a few steps toward the door to get away from Max.

"Dammit, Chloe, give it to me!" Max said as she got up to chase after Chloe.

Chloe dodged around her and opened the notebook, flipping to the page Max didn't want her to see. "'September 23, 2001. Today I kissed Roger on the bus.' Max, is Roger someone we need to talk about?" Chloe asked with mock horror.

"No, of course not. Give me the journal!"

Chloe held the notebook in the air above her head and continued reading aloud as Max tried to jump up and grab it. "'I didn't tell Chloe about kissing Roger. I think she would laugh at me. And talking about kissing with Chloe would be weird because I kind of want to kiss Chloe, too.' Ha, suck it, Roger, you never stood a chance against me!"

Max sat on her bed with a huff, heat burning across her cheeks. "There, you read it, are you happy now?"

Chloe lowered the journal and walked over to Max, putting a hand under her chin and tilting her head up so their eyes met. "Max, you had a crush on me in first grade. That's fucking adorable."

"It might've been before that, too," Max mumbled, pulling her head out of Chloe's grasp and staring fixedly at the floor.

Chloe laughed and set the notebook on the floor before tackling Max backwards onto the bed. "Even better," she said, kissing Max gently. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Max rolled her eyes. "Because it was embarrassing, duh."

Chloe laughed again, reaching over to brush some of Max's hair out of her face. "You wanna know the most embarrassing part?"

"What?"

"I liked you back, even in kindergarten."

"You're right, that's way more embarrassing," Max said, grinning as she grabbed the front of Chloe's shirt and pulled her close for a kiss.


End file.
